Transportation map



Mar. 20, 1928.

G. W; R. HARRIMAN.

TRANSPORTATION MAP.

ORIGINAL HLED JUNE 23. I916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET K.

Mar. 20, 1923.

G. W. R. HARRIMAN.

TRANSPORTATION MAP.

ORIGINAL FILED JUNE 2a, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2" Patented Mar. 203, 1923..

GEORGE W. R. HARRTMAN, OF MALDEN, MASSACHUSETTS.

TRANSPORTATION MAP.

Original application filed. June 23, 1916, Serial No. 1055M. Divided and this application filed December 18, 1920. Serial No 431,645.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE R. HARRI- MAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Malden, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements inTransport-ation Maps, of which the following is a specification.

The invention hereinafter described and 1c claimed relates to, and has for its object to provide, a transportation map having means for showing not only the locations and d1- rections of channels or Ways of travel and transportation, but also the length of such ways between any two points in their course, and the ownership of such as constitute property. A further object is to exhibit, in connection with localities and regions shown on the map, symbols conveying definite information in an intelligible manner of the predominating or other characteristics or" said localities with respect to natural re sources or products of manufacture, objects of trade, facilities and means for the transaction of business, for education, for recreation, or other facts.

The particular subject of this invention was originally disclosed and claimed in the application which resulted in my Patent No.

so 1,192,829, and subsequently in my prior ap plication for patent filed J une 23, 1916, Serial No. 105,524 as a division of said original application; and the present application is a division of the one filed June 23, 1916.

The following explanation ofthe invention is given in connection with drawings in which Figure, 1 shows a map of a relatively large area of the earths surface containing representations of railroad lines existing in the territory so illustrated; Figure 2 is a large scale map of a portion of the territory represented in Figure 1, and Figure 3 shows by way of illustration a few of the many symbols applied in accordance with this invention to represent distance and ownership in connection with lines of transportation.

Like reference characters indicate the same parts in all the figures.

In Figures 1 and 2 the lines to which the reference letter a is applied represent railroad lines existing in the territory shown in the maps, and applied to such representations are the symbols 7), a, d, which designate length and ownership. lfreferably the representation of the railroads is made by double lines and the symbols are applied in the spaces bounded by such double lines, but it would not be a departure from the invention to apply the symbols otherwise, proany two points on the road is easily determined with suificient accuracy for commercial estimation by counting the whole number of symbols lying along the line of the road between such points and estimating or measuring the fractional parts of the symbols at either end which extend beyond either of such points, in cases where the symbols do not terminate exactly at the points between which the calculation is made.

As an illustrative example of the mode of using these symbols for the purposeindicat-ed, let us assume with reference to the railroad shown in the right hand part of Figure 2 that the distance on the railroad between the stations Franklin and Cherryfield is to be determined, and that the sym bols c are so drawn that the linear distance between the corresponding points of adjacent symbols is ten miles. Then, on this assumption the distancebetween Franklin and Gherryfield is shown to be twenty miles. In a similar manner the railroad mileage between any two places can be quickly and accurately determined without the trouble of scaling of? the total length of what may be an irregular line on the map, or of looking up the mileage in a railway publication.

Although this illustration is given only in connection with railway lines, the same principles are clearly applicable to all other channels for travel or conveyance of goods, such as highways, stage lines, rivers, and canals or other water ways. This part of my invention comprises the placement on or beside the .representation of any road or way on a map of elongated distance symbols, each equal in length to one another and arranged en'dto end, andin a line conforming accurately to the road or way in all the bends of the latter.

The same symbols are used to designate ownership o'i'su'ch roads or ways asareproperty, or to indicate the operating agency in the .;c ase of common carriers .in cases where the waysarenot property or, the designation of the operating agency is .more importantthanrthat, of. the ownership. of the Way.

,Bycomparisonof the symbols 6 and 0 in;Figures;1 and 2 and of. the other symbols (Z, c, 7", g, et c..in Figural difierences in their characteristics will benoted. Thus the symbols Z) consist. of lines with rectangular enlargements at their. ends; the symbols care lilies with circular. enlargements; those designated MZ have solid rectangles at one end ,and open circles. at. the. other end those designated e have triangles at one endand ovals at the other; those designated fare .all of ,uniform thickness throughoutyand V those designated g, are. shaded.

In Figure dillustrative. examples of different symbols are shown on a somewhat larger scale, wherebytqillustrate further thetscope for :diversity'which inheres inthe type of symbol which I'have. devised. By taking asbase symbols those which have open enlargementsat their ends or open spaces in, theiincentral parts, and variously inserting forms or devices which may be heretermed variables in such spaces, or by wholly or partially filling such spaceswith solid color, a large variety of specifically different symbols, founded uponthe same base, is provided for. Thus it, for example, 71, is takenas a base (said symboLhaving the same form as that above designated as b, butformed only in outline with, an open space inI its interior), then the specific symbol b is formed therefrom by filling in its interior with solid color, and other symbols z',.j, l,m, n, and, o are produced by combining therewith various geometric forms or letters. These latter symbols are simply a few illustrating the principles according to which many symbols maybe developed from. one basic symbol. Other basic symbolsare shownatp, g, 9, w and 00, each of which has, an interior open space adapted to be occupied by various forms or devices to makeother specific symbols according to the same principle.

Thisphase of the invention, that is, the one involved in the ownership symbols, is applicable also outside of its function as a means for the indication of distances.

Another phase of the invention is shown in Figure 2 by the symbols or devices 3 and t beside certain of the place names on the line of therailroad. The latter symbols are designed applied to give information of the characteristics of the locality or community, particulariy thosewhich have to do with natural resources, industries, products of manufacture or trade, or other information of interest and value to shippers, merchants or. travelers. That is, "by placing symbols according to a conventional code adjacent to the locations on themap of localities in the territory, the predominating characteristics oi these localities are made known to personshaving occasion to consult the map. a

Other features. of the map shown'in the drawings but not here described form no part of the present invention but are 6X plained in my original parent Patent No. 1,192,829, granted. July 25, 1916, and are in part claimed therein and in part in my parentjapplication filed June 23, 1916, Serial No. 105,524.

\Vhatl claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. A map representing a section of a country and showing thereon the established commercial channels of communication between parts of such section with graphic symbols appliedto the indications of such channels and being equal to one another in length and having collectively equallinear extent with said channels, whereby the length between any two points of the channel may be estimated.

2. A map representing a part of the earths surface and showing thereon channels of transportation with symbols applied adjacent, to said channels; said symbols being arranged in'series end to end and each having adength representing a predetermined Ldistance'on the surface of the earth.

3. A map representing -a part of the earths surface andshowingthereon channels of transportation anddistance symbols applied upon said channels endto endin sequence conforming to all the departures of said channels from straight lines, said symbols being of equal length each to each and having a length in proportion to the scale of the map covering a prescribed number of linear, units.

4. A map showing a portion of the surface of the earth and having thereon graphic representations of commercial channels of communication, and conventional symbols placed end to end in series along the representations of such symbols; each oi said symbols having a length which is llimited in proportion to thejscale of the map to represent a certaindistance, andthe. symbols which are applied to different channels having specific differences from oneanother whereby to. denote the identity of the said different channels.

5. A map showing a portion of the surface of the earth and representing thereon commercial channels of transportation existing in the territory depicted, the map having also applied different symbols, the symbols designating the identity of the respective channels and so placed along the channels as to designate distances between difierent points thereon.

6. A map showing a portion of the surface of the earth and having thereon graphic representations of commercial channels of transportation, and predetermined conventional symbols placed end to end-in series longitudinal of such channels, each of said symbols having a length which is limited to represent a certaindistance, and the symbols being further characterized as to form according to a predetermined system so as to indicate the ownership of such channels.

7. A map representing a portion of the earths surface and having place locations thereon, together with symbols at or adjacent to such locations, which symbols have a code significance indicating certain characteristics of the locality as to products, industry or commerce thereof.

8. In connection with a map, a series of symbols designating distances and identity, said symbols having a common characteristic in that the length of each designates a prescribed distance on the map, and otherwise having individual distinguishing differences.

9. In connection with a map, a series of symbols designating distances andidentity, said symbols being alike in length and outline and being diii'erent from one another in their interior portions.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature.

GEORGE W. R. HARRIMAN. 

